Cliffs of Insandity, PA (Central PA along Juniata River)

Anyone ever been? I know the multipitch sport area is off the Juniata River (I'm told it is) and the second pitch bolts on most climbs aren't solid anymore. That's all. The PA Climbers group has it as a location but no other info (you have to email for directions, I did and might still have them saved in email storage).

Is it a quality place? Any features? Worth the drive?

If you've never heard of it either maybe its worth it for us to check it out? Let me know if you're interested. Maybe this is a forgotten gem? Maybe it sucks? I/we won't know until we research.

Thank you for your time.

a quick internet search and I probably found the same info as you (that pic on RC.com is awesome).

I appreciate the help Michael! I didn't know it was on RC.com, I must have checked a while ago and for whatever reason had forgot.

Anyone been there? Your experience? Thank you.

So I did google the spot and checked all 6 sublocations within PA and nothing under cliffs of inSANdity or insanity. No beta. The place looks nice and worth a day trip. Anyone ever been? Any beta? On any climbs?

from rc.com thread...

"It is the southernmost 2 quarries that have the climbs. There is a state game lands parking lot (new) south of the last quarry. That is the main reason (other than potential death) that I hadn't been spreading word of the place. Until recently there wasn't any parking.

You don't need a topo - all climbs are in the range 5.8-5.11b. The best concentration of good stuff is in the left quarry.

Follow the old overgrown macadam road past the obvious entrance to the southern quarry (swamp here) until it opens up to a sandy flat leading to the more northern quarry.

Head to the orange wall. Look for bolts. The other far southern end (shown in the photo) also has good stuff.

Suggest you bring quick links for the anchors."

Your the man Michael. At least once there I/we could have some bearings to navigate our way. Awesome.

I'm all about finding the dubious micro-beta scattered throughout the web.

Coming to PA soon, tic-toc...

Hey, that was the place I was driving to check out last weekend (and Hunter's). It looks worth the trip. I found the southern quarry and the gamelands parking. I'll meet up with you any time and we can check it out.

I climbed there years ago (1995 or so), shortly after Bowers and maybe others put the routes in. The rock was soft sandstone and I did three three pitch climbs there. It was cool, and while the rock was sandy and I had a couple of holds crumble or break, I didnt' think the climbing was bad. I have no idea what condition the climbs are in these days.

Good shit! Good to hear. 3 pitch sport routes here in central PA, love it. Apparently the bolts are terrible above p1, possibly even the first pitch bolts suck. If it is worth it id learn how to replace bolts and do it.

I found the email:

They are a quarry in mapleton. This is a town just down from hunter rocks. You can see the quarry from the road but the one with routes is actually behind it. If I remember I think water street I'd near where you park.

Be very careful and avoid the last pitches. They are hazardous and old bolts!

That's the email. Mapleton, PA is the location. I messaged the dude who bolted the routes. Hopefully ill hear something. He says on the rc.com thread there are 50 or so routes. Sweet.

I am 1hr to these cliffs. I live along the juniata also and just need to hop on the 322. And I'm 45 minutes from bellefonte. Awesome.

Yeah, I was there Saturday. I talked to Bowers in an email. Before doing anything like retro bolting, I'd talk to him as I understand the area was developed mostly by him and he still frequents it. And the access is just "tolerated" as it's the southern end of an active quarrying operation that's moving northward. They could shut it down. Just saying.

Whatd you think doug? Your impression. I'm going to scout it out Sunday with my wife. I'm taking a camera.

There's a lot more here in central pa and slowly learning more and more. Now I'm hoping to uncover a multipitch wall with splitter cracks....

There's that left facing corner in the pic on the rc.com thread. It appears it has potential to take traditional pro. Any trad lines known here? Is there a possibility for that corner to go on gear even if small/thin gear, tricams, or whatever? Thoughts?

There are 2 left facing corners Inoticed. I'm interested if either one can go on gear relatively safely? Potential even if not known from your experience?

This weekend doesn't look good for more than bouldering (and my triple mad pad just arrived!) The trip is about 1:45 for me. I'd still like to meet up and climb it with you soon. I have the same questions- are any of the 2nd pitches ok, are the cracks climbable, anywhere to plug gear (even just to supplement bad bolts)? I don't know until I'm on it but I'd like to come prepared and with an open mind. Email or text me... I think I sent you my info already.

You know, I heard through the State College Grapevine about this place in the mid 90's.  Then I actually found it.  We climbed a 2 pitch and a 3 pitch route there, and went back and climbed there several times.  It was the only place close by where one could do a route like that.  The routes we climbed were in the 5.9-10+ range and at the time I thought they were great fun - although slightly heady leads.  For anyone that climbed Jim's routes in Bellefonte, they felt somewhat familiar.  That said - today I was strolling through memory lane and found all this info about the death routes, etc...  too bad folks don't know how to have fun anymore and let folks make their own decisions.  I imagine there's still some fun to be had there.